Vehicle periscope

ABSTRACT

A vehicle periscope and more particularly a periscope for autos and trucks, intended to be mounted beside a standard rear view mirror wherein the two controls, one for raising and lowering and the other for rotating up to and including 360*, comprises three concentric cylinders. The inner, rotatable cylinder, having a short 90* bend on one end, in which sighting mirror is rigidly affixed in an oblique position, and a 90* flared portion at opposite end; said flared portion having slots along the full circumference, which complements teeth of a drive gear. A middle cylinder having a longer 90* bend on one end and to which, a plain clear transparent glass is affixed at both ends, and a thin convex lens, said lens mounted along the inside of the horizontal portion of the bend. Opposite end of said middle cylinder, integral tab bent outwardly, 90* to the axis of said middle cylinder; an outermost cylinder which serves as the rigid protective frame and having an integral longitudinal rounded Vguide and an open square guide along its entire length, wherein the rounded V-guide accepts and guides said tab of the middle cylinder, while the open square guide accepts and guides a square threaded nut with rounded corners. Said vehicle periscope also includes a specially designed molded mounting base with a horizontal annular opening slightly larger than the diameter of the innermost cylinder and wherein a protective and distance compensating slightly concave glass is mounted and also the obliquely positioned viewing mirror, said mounting base also contains annular openings, 90* with said horizontal annular opening, wherein the concentric cylinders are mounted together with the other components, which include a long threaded shaft for the square threaded nut, said shaft mechanically coupled to the shaft of a miniature direct current motor which is also mounted on said base; a long geared shaft which meshes with and complements the gear teeth shape slots of the flared end of innermost cylinder, and wherein said geared shaft is mechanically coupled to a rigidly flexible closely wound spring of sufficient length, with switch for stopping and reversing polarity, as it is intended to be mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle.

United States Patent [191 McMichael Apr. 2, 1974 VEHICLE PERISCOPE [76]Inventor: Cyrus McMichael, P.O. Box 255,

Villa Park, 111. 60181 [22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 326,450

[52] US. Cl... 350/301, 356/254 [51] Int. Cl. 60% 23/08 [58] Field ofSearch 350/301-302, 350/21-24 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,043,195 7/1962 Moultrie 350/302 2,586,643 2/1952 Garlow350/302 869,395 10/1907 Schleth 350/23 3,256,387 6/1966 Beste 350/21Primary ExaminerRonald L. Wibert Assistant Examiner-Steven Morrison Amiddle cylinder having a longer 90 bend on one end and to which, a plainclear transparent glass is affixed at both ends, and a thin convex lens,said lens mounted along the inside of the horizontal portion of thebend. Opposite end of said middle cylinder, integral tab bent outwardly,90 to the axis of said middle cylinder; an outermost cylinder whichserves as the rigid protective frame and having an integral longitudinalrounded V-guide and an open square guide along its entire length,wherein the rounded V-guide accepts and guides said tab of the middlecylinder, while the open square guide accepts and guides a squarethreaded nut with rounded corners.

Said vehicle periscope also includes a specially designed moldedmounting base with a horizontal annular opening slightly larger than thediameter of the innermost cylinder and wherein a protective and distancecompensating slightly concave glass is mounted and also the obliquelypositioned viewing mirror, said mounting base also contains annularopenings, 90 with said horizontal annular opening, wherein theconcentric cylinders are mounted together with the other components,which include a long threaded shaft for the square threaded nut, saidshaft mechanically coupled to the shaft of a miniature direct currentmotor which is also mounted on said base; a long geared shaft whichmeshes with and complements the gear teeth shape slots of the flared endof innermost cylinder, and wherein said geared shaft is mechanicallycoupled to a rigidly flexible closely wound spring of sufficient length,with switch for stopping and reversing polarity, as it is intended to bemounted on the dashboard of a vehicle.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures VEHICLE PERISCOPE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1.Field of Invention This invention relates generally to viewing devicesfor use with vehicles and more particularly to periscope type visiondevices that can scan the surrounding areas with a minimum of effort.

2. Description of Prior Art Prior art in this area is centered mostly,if not all, to devices that can be mounted on the vehicle roof; for thedriver of the vehicle to have a clear view of the rear, arrangement ofreflecting and viewing driver manipulated mirrors for clearer vision,arrangement of lenses and mirrors for better image of the objectsviewed, distances of objects viewed, etc. It is to be noted that none ofthe above mentioned viewing devices has appeared or been used by vehicleowners nor have any been used as standard equipment on vehicles; as Ican say without meeting great opposition that the standard rear viewdevice on vehicles is still the side view mirror mounted outside to theleft of the driver, and another mirror mounted inside called the rearview mirror. The present invention will fill the shortcomings of thestandard side and rear view mirrors, while providing additionalflexibility.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The difficulty of driving in congested streets andparking in self parking areas prompted me to come up with this presentinvention.

It is one object of the invention to overcome the blind spots inherenton side view and rear view mirrors.

It is another object of the invention to be able to make lane selectionin heavy traffic, as my vehicle periscope can be raised to any desirablelevel up to above the roof level and lowered by a flip of a switchlocated on the dashboard, where all the controls of the standardequipment of a vehicle are located. 7

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a comfortablemeans of following a vehicle especially in heavy traffic.

While providing all the advantages and objects mentioned above, theviewer sees a true image of what is viewed, not inverted or reversed.

Yet another object of my invention is to offer a periscope viewingdevice that is intended to be mounted on the already accepted locationand position, which is beside the side view mirror.

Further objects and advantages will surface with the illustrationsprovided by the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments attached.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referringnow more particularly to the drawings, wherein is illustrated a newvehicle periscope device designated by the numeral 10, comprised ofthree concentric cylinders, 20, 23, and 24 wherein the innermostcylinder 24 has a short degree bend designated by the numeral 24a andending in an opening designated by 24b.

The opposite end of said innermost cylinder is flared, wherein theflared portion 24c makes an angle of 90 with the cylinder axis andhaving gear teeth 24d about the full flared circumference. The middleconcentric cylinder 23, having horizontal cylinder 32a integrallyaffixed to upper end, and on the opposite end of said cylinder 23, istab 27, bent outward and at 90 with the cylinder axis. The outermostcylinder 20 has a rolled in top 20a and a longitudinal rounded V-guide25, and also an open square guide 26. Directly above said open squareguide 26 and affixed rigidly thereof on the outside surface of therolled in portion 20a, is a shaft retainer and positioner 29. Retainer19 holds threaded shaft 21 and geared shaft 22 in place. Completing thearrangement of the concentric cylinders 20, 23 and 24, cylinder 24 isspaced from the middle cylinder 23 by spacers 29 and 30. The middlecylinder 23, maintains its position with respect to the cylinder 20 bythe guides 25 and 26 and also the rolled in portion 20a.

Positioned on said open square guide 26, is a square threaded nut 28,with rounded corners. Threaded into said nut is the threaded shaft 21.The geared shaft 22 meshes with the mating peripheral gear 240. Theunthreaded portion end of said shaft 21 is mechanically coupled bycoupling 35 to the motor shaft 21b, of the motor 36, while the roundportion end 23a of the geared shaft 22, is mechanically coupled to arigidly flexible closely wound spring 37.

The topmost annular opening 38, of base 39 accepts the bottom end of theconcentric cylinder assembly, which rests on the shoulder 38b. A thickershoulder 38a in which the shoulder 38b is a portion thereof, is locatedapproximately from the axis of another annular opening where theslightly concave lense 31 is mounted, the thicker shoulder portion 38ahas two positioned thru holes, wherein the unthreaded portion end of thethreaded shaft 21 and the round portion end of the geared shaft 22 passthrough, and thus positively spaced from each other.

Base 39, is constructed in two parts, 41, designated lower part, and 43the upper part, rotatably joined together by screw 15 and washer 15a.Said screw fitting through hole 43a and threaded into plate 41a, saidplate integrally fixed in opening 41b of lower base 41. Lower and upperbase parts, 41 and 43 respectively, are aligned by annular protrusion43b and meet at surface 43c. This arrangement allows periscope to berotated manually for limiting scanning.

The direct current motor 36 is mounted solidly to inside cylindricalsurface of base 39 by two mounting screws or bolts 40, while the motorleades or wires 40a passes through the opening 45, at the bottom of saidbase and connected to a polarity reversing switch 44; the closely coiledspring 45 passes through the opening 45a affixed to the end 37a of a rod37b. Now, if rod 37b is mechanically attached to some means so it willrotate in its axis, the torque will be transmitted to the coiled spring37, and to the end portion 23a of the geared shaft 22, and on to thegear like slots 24c, hence rotating the innermost cylinder 24.

Describing nowthe lens and mirror arrangement, let

us start with the sighting section. Two protective plain lenses 11,which can be also plasticof good optical characteristics, are mounted inposition by mounting means 12, at the ends of the horizontal cylinder23a. Affixed within cylinder is a thin convex lens 13 by means 14,mirror 16 is obliquely positioned at approximately 45 with thehorizontal and is fastened to plate 17, which is held by tabs 18, inturn are permanently affixed to the opposite peripheral ends of theelbow 24a of the innermost cylinder 24. The oblique position of themirror 16, is such that its projected area on a plane perpendicular withthe cylinder axis is equal to the cross sectional area of said cylinder24.

The image receiving and viewing mirror 33, which is rigidly attached andpositioned approximately 90 with mirror 16, is mounted to the insidesurface of the shoulder 380 by means 34, and to the portion 39a of base,and in such a manner that its area is projected on a plane parallel tothe slightly concave lens 31, equalling the area of lens 31. Theslightly concave lens 31 is permanently positioned at the mouth of thecorresponding opening on the mounting base 39 by means 32.

In operation then, for rear viewing, the light reflected from the objectbeing sighted enters and passes through plain glass 1 l, to the thinconvex lens 13 which inverts and reverses the image as it strikes themirror 16.

As the inverted and reversed image is reflected to the viewing mirror33, it is re-inverted and re-reversed by said mirror 33, hence what isviewed on the mirror 33 is a true image. The slightly concave lens 31,slightly enlarges the' image reflected from mirror 33. In actuality, itcorrects the decrease in image size from mirror 16 to 33. It is to benoted that the distance of mirror 16 from the lens 13 is the focallength of said lens 13, and likewise, the distance of lens 31 from themirror 33 is its focal length. it should also be noted that the lengthor height of the cylinder 24, up to the bent portion is slightly morethan half the distance between the point where it is intended to bemounted on the car, and the roof of the car. Hence, in raised position,it extends above the roof level of the car.

Raising and lowering of the cylinders 23 and 24, is effected by themotor 36 rotating threaded shaft 21. Since the threaded nut does notrotate, it travels up or down depending on motor rotation, clockwise orcounterclockwise. Since the two cylinders in a way rest also on the topsurface portion of nut 28 and longitudinally guided by the guide 25, andalso the geared shaft, .said cylinders 23 and 24 travel with movement ofthe nut 28. It was pointd out that only cylinder 24 rotates. This is so,because cylinder 23 is held in radial position by the tab 27, which fitsV-guide 25.

' In the 180 rotated position of the cylinder 24, (FIG.

3) or forward viewing, the inverting lens 13 is not required as theimage reflected by the mirror 33 from mirror 16 is a true image. Thisparallel arrangement of two mirrors is the simple periscope arrangement.

lclaim:

1. An improved land vehicle periscope having three concentric cylinderscomprising aninnennost cylinder have a ninety degree elbow on an upperend of said cylinder, a plate permanently affixed across said elbow bybracket means, an obliquely positioned first reflecting mirror affixedto said plate, said mirror reflecting an image vertically downwardthrough said cylinders to a second reflecting mirror, called a viewingmirror,'said innermost cylinder having a lower end, said lower endcontaining an integral, outwardly flared portion which is slotted in agear like manner along the full circumference of said innermostcylinder, said flared and slotted portion resting on a top surface of aninside shoulder of a two sectioned, molded mounting base, a secondcylinder, called a middle cylinder, concentric with and surrounding saidinnermost cylinder and having an upper portion on which a horizontal,tubular member is an integral part thereof, said horizontal tubularmember retaining a vertical, plane lens at each end of said tube and asingle vertically disposed convex lens between one plane lens and saidfirst reflecting surface, the edges of said plane lenses and said convexlens being aligned parallel, said middle cylinder having a lower portionhaving an integral tab bent outward and positioned to prevent saidmiddle cylinder from rotating, a rigid outermost cylinder, concentricwith said innermost cylinder and said middle cylinder, and serving asthe rigid outer protective cover and frame of said periscope, saidoutermost cylinder containing two integrally formed vertically disposedslots, one said slot cooperating with said tab of said middle cylinderto prevent rotation thereof the other said slot for channelling means todrive said innermost and said middle cylinder for elevation thereof, aidouter most cylinder having an upper portion with an inwardly flaredflange as an integral part thereof, the lower portion of said cylindersecured in the top surface of the two sectioned base member on saidinside shoulder common to the resting surface of said innermostcylinder, said base member also supporting mounting tabs disposed belowsaid concentric cylinders said tabs attached directly to said viewingmirror and oriented within said base member to horizontally redirectlight falling substantially vertically downward through said innermostcylinder to a viewing opening, said opening vertically supporting aconcave lens, said base two sectioned member also having means forrotating said innermost cylinder consisting of a rotatable flexiblecoiled spring through both sections of said base driven by rod meanswithin said coiled spring, said rod means having a gear connectedthereto, the gear having an axis aligned vertically and in drivingengagement with said slotted integral outwardly flared portion of saidinnermost cylinder, whereby said innermost cylinder and hence said firstreflecting mirror rotates when said rod is rotated.

2. A land vehicle periscope as recited in claim 1, further comprising aperiscope elevating, direct-current motor mounted on said base betweensaid viewing mirror and said base, two wires connecting said motorthrough both sections of said base to an electric polarity reversingswitch externally disposed to said periscope, said motor having avertically disposed threaded shaft mounted for rotation by and extendingupwardly from said motor, a square nut mounted on said threaded shaftand supporting said flange of said innermost cylinder, said square nutengagingly channelled in said outermost cylinder to prevent rotation ofsaid nut when said vertically disposed, threaded shaft is rotated bysaid motor, whereby said innermost cylinder and said middle cylinder areraised or lowered with respect to said outermost clylinder when saiddirect-current motor is energized.

1. An improved land vehicle periscope having three concentric cylinderscomprising an innermost cylinder have a ninety degree elbow on an upperend of said cylinder, a plate permanently affixed across said elbow bybracket means, an obliquely positioned first reflecting mirror affixedto said plate, said mirror reflecting an image vertically downwardthrough said cylinders to a second reflecting mirror, called a viewingmirror, said innermost cylinder having a lower end, said lower endcontaining an integral, outwardly flared portion which is slotted in agear like manner along the full circumference of said innermostcylinder, said flared and slotted portion resting on a top surface of aninside shoulder of a two sectioned, molded mounting base, a secondcylinder, called a middle cylinder, concentric with and surrounding saidinnermost cylinder and having an upper portion on which a horizontal,tubular member is an integral part thereof, said horizontal tubularmember retaining a vertical, plane lens at each end of said tube and asingle vertically disposed convex lens between one plane lens and saidfirst reflecting surface, the edges of said plane lenses and said convexlens being aligned parallel, said middle cylinder having a lower portionhaving an integral tab bent outward and positioned to prevent saidmiddle cylinder from rotating, a rigid outermost cylinder, concentricwith said innermost cylinder and said middle cylinder, and serving asthe rigid outer protective cover and frame of said periscope, saidoutermost cylinder containing two integrally formed vertically disposedslots, one said slot cooperating with said tab of said middle cylinderto prevent rotation thereof the other said slot for channelling means todrive said innermost and said middle cylinder for elevation thereof, aidouter most cylinder having an upper portion with an inwardly flaredflange as an integral part thereof, the lower portion of said cylindersecured in the top surface of the two sectioned base member on saidinside shoulder common to the resting surface of said innermostcylinder, said base member also supporting mounting tabs disposed belowsaid concentric cylinders said tabs attached directly to said viewingmirror and oriented within said base member to horizontally redirectlight falling substantially vertically downward through said innermostcylinder to a viewing opening, said opening vertically supporting aconcave lens, said base two sectioned member also having means forrotating said innermost cylinder consisting of a rotatable flexiblecoiled spring through both sections of said base driven by rod meanswithin said coiled spring, said rod means having a gear connectedthereto, the gear having an axis aligned vertically and in drivingengagement with said slotted integral outwardly flared portion of saidinnermost cylinder, whereby said innermost cylinder and hence said firstreflecting mirror rotates when said rod is rotated.
 2. A land vehicleperiscope as recited in claim 1, further comprising a periscopeelevating, direct-current motor mounted on said base between saidviewing mirror and said base, two wires connecting said motor throughboth sections of said base to an electric polarity reversing switchexternally disposed to said periscope, said motor having a verticallydisposed threaded shaft mounted for rotation by and extending upwardlyfrom said motor, a square nut mounted on said threaded shaft andsupporting said flange of said innermost cylinder, said square nutengagingly channelled in said outermost cylinder to prevent rotation ofsaid nut when said vertically disposed, threaded shaft is rotated bysaid motor, whereby said innermost cylinder and said middle cylinder areraised or lowered with respect to said outermost clylinder when saiddirect-current motor is energized.